Mamiwata is an African name for a spirit believed to be embodied by the manatee. This blog chronicles my search for the elusive African manatee, and my exploration to understand its biology, habitat and preservation needs, economic and cultural significance. So little is known about this animal, yet it is intensely hunted almost everywhere it exists and may already be gone from much of its previous range. In 2006 I was inspired to go find and study them, starting in Gabon.

Friday, May 30, 2008

Oil Spill News from Gabon

Below I've pasted an article posted on Bloomberg.com. The lagoon is actually named Fernan Vaz (also known as N'komi) and is the only lagoon in Gabon that is not part of a national park or protected area (and unfortunately it's also the only lagoon I haven't surveyed for manatees yet, although I hope to get there next Fall). The spill occurred at the southern end of the lagoon, at almost the furthest point from it's outlet to the ocean (which is obviously good for the ocean, but bad for the lagoon and its wildlife). There is little information so far on the effects of the spill.

May 27 (Bloomberg) -- A pipeline operated by Perenco SA, a closely held French oil company, may have burst and caused an oil spill in a lagoon off the coast of Gabon, said Bas Huijbregts, a technical adviser to the World Wildlife Fund.

The spill occurred in the Ferna Naz lagoon near Omboue, 228 kilometers (142 miles) south of the capital, Libreville, on May 12, Huijbregts said in an interview today in the city. While the pipeline has subsequently been repaired, residents have been told not to drink the water, according to the Web site of Publish What You Pay, a Gabonese non-governmental organization.

No one was available for comment when Perenco's office in Libreville was contacted, said Magali Bechade, a personal assistant at the company.

Perenco pumps 50,000 barrels of oil a day in Gabon, according to its Web site. Gabon is sub-Saharan Africa's fifth-biggest oil producer and produced 232,000 barrels a day in 2006, according to the BP Statistical Review. Nigeria is the continent's biggest crude producer.

And Another!Today Disney Conservation Fund joins the list of Gabon manatee project funders with a new grant. I couldn't be happier about the momentum this work is gaining. I'm looking forward to giving a talk about African manatee work at Disney's Living Seas in July.

I still have a way to go to reach my ambitious budget goal that will allow me to GPS tag West African manatees for the first time, but every piece certainly helps!!

Thursday, May 01, 2008

A New Funder for Gabon!

Great news today, the SeaWorld Busch Gardens Conservation Fund has just notified me that they have awarded me a grant for my Gabon manatee research! This is a new funder for this project and it's the first funding I've received this year for the next round of work in Gabon. So I'm thrilled!! I am still waiting to hear about 7 other applications, but we're off to a good start.